Richmond "Richie" Laryea

[BearcatSA]

13 hours ago, Watchmen said:

I'll be clear that I don't think he's been bad.  He just hasn't been any sort of difference maker and certainly hasn't lived up to the hype or been better than Gressel.

He has not been as influential on the attack down his side of the field. Most of the joy for the club, for a variety of reasons, is from going down the left.

Edited September 25, 2023 by BearcatSA

[Obinna]

On 8/3/2023 at 3:50 PM, Shway said:

Junior can join them next!

This was prophetic.

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

This was prophetic.

I sadly called it. 
I see the caps dropping out of a playoff spot...

[Watchmen]

28 minutes ago, Shway said:

I sadly called it. 
I see the caps dropping out of a playoff spot...

Too many Canadians.

[BearcatSA]

I was not able to watch this match but I see a 6.0 on ehoscored and a second half subbing.  So, do I dare ask how he did?

[Northvansteve]

13 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

I was not able to watch this match but I see a 6.0 on ehoscored and a second half subbing.  So, do I dare ask how he did?

He helped set up the first Caps goal early with a classic Laryea dribble into the box. After that, it was back to the ineffective form we've seen from him since he joined the team. He isn't attacking the box and at times has been a defensive liability with poor back passes. Very disappointing form so far.

[Shway]

2 hours ago, Northvansteve said:

He helped set up the first Caps goal early with a classic Laryea dribble into the box. After that, it was back to the ineffective form we've seen from him since he joined the team. He isn't attacking the box and at times has been a defensive liability with poor back passes. Very disappointing form so far.

But better than hoilett and Sammy have been no?

[blueseeka]

It honestly been amazing how the three of them haven't made a difference at all.

[Watchmen]

6 hours ago, Northvansteve said:

He helped set up the first Caps goal early with a classic Laryea dribble into the box. After that, it was back to the ineffective form we've seen from him since he joined the team. He isn't attacking the box and at times has been a defensive liability with poor back passes. Very disappointing form so far.

He also broke out on a great 2 on 1 deep in DC's end, only to make a terrible pass that had no hope of finding the other Cap (White or Gauld, I don't remember which).  It was so bad apparently even the commentators noted it.

[Watchmen]

4 hours ago, Shway said:

But better than hoilett and Sammy have been no?

This probably depends on your expectations.  I never expected Hoilett to be anything more than some depth off the bench, and that's all he is.  He's not up to game shape, though I think you could question if he still has the pace to play at this level.  He's done a few things with the ball though that make me think he could still play somewhere.

I think Adekugbe has been an upgrade on the left side, but also doesn't look like he's in game shape.  I'd like him to get going a bit more, but I think he's been fine and he'll be with the team next year, so there's a bit more of a long-term look.

For Laryea, he came to the team in game-shape and he's done virtually nothing.  The 6 rating is right - it's fine, but nothing special, and that's been basically every game.  He hasn't really been dangerous and he's at times been a defensive liability.   You can excuse some of that because there's always an adjustment to a new team, but we're passing that stage as a valid excuse.  He has shown no reason at all that he deserves to be a DP, and while I wouldn't have a problem with the Whitecaps bring him back next year as a TAM level player they should under no circumstances use a DP spot on him.

So my answer to your question is: considering the expectations, no I don't think he's been better than either Sam or Hoilett.

[Watchmen]

4 hours ago, blueseeka said:

It honestly been amazing how the three of them haven't made a difference at all.

Fans here overrated the value of Canadian players? Shocking.  

[Shway]

My question was of concern related to the CMNT, and less about the caps if I'm tbh. 

Because based on what you caps fans are saying there  is no way we should see them next week, but I have a feeling we might see both Laryea and Sam. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Shway

[Obinna]

Why do I get the impression caps fans are overexaggerating how poor Laryea has been? Anytime I watch he seems fine, but from what I read he's a disappointment and a downgrade from Gressel.

Was Gressel really that good or was he just a better fit for how Vancouver play? Very curious about this because things don't add up for me.

Maybe what caps fans aren't getting bang for their buck given his contract? 

[PastPros]

It's not that he's been poor... just not as dynamic as we have seen him before.

e.g. As poor as a team TFC is, he did often have good interplay with Bernardeschi.

Sam and Hoilett are not 100% match fit so hard to judge. Raposo has been much better than Sam so far.

[InglewoodJack]

It's too bad, VWC's deadline haul really reminds me of pretty much every deadline brand name player acquisition you see in every sport- these guys never come in and actually make the difference they're supposed to. Are Adekugbe and Hoilett still not fully fit? I don't think either start or regularly turn in long shifts?

[blueseeka]

2 hours ago, Shway said:

My question was of concern related to the CMNT, and less about the caps if I'm tbh. 

Because based on what you caps fans are saying there  is no way we should see them next week, but I have a feeling we might see both Laryea and Sam. 

They will definitely be there. It took MAK a whole season of poor performances before he wasn’t invited. Laryea has been decent. And Sam and Junior have been okay. As a MLS watcher that tries to support Canadian teams, i just hoped the three would bring them over the top. Vancouver has a chance to make a run in the playoffs.

[Watchmen]

4 hours ago, Obinna said:

Why do I get the impression caps fans are overexaggerating how poor Laryea has been? Anytime I watch he seems fine, but from what I read he's a disappointment and a downgrade from Gressel.

Was Gressel really that good or was he just a better fit for how Vancouver play? Very curious about this because things don't add up for me.

Maybe what caps fans aren't getting bang for their buck given his contract? 

To be fair, this is pretty much it.  He seems fine.  As a Caps fan, I'd be fine with him returning next year.  Maybe he does gel with the rest of the team better.  But he's also clearly a downgrade on Gressel, who was both a better player AND a better fit.   And the talk at the time of the loan was the Whitecaps would be using a DP spot on Laryea for next year, and he's shown absolutely nothing that would indicate he should be a DP, be it because he was overhyped by TFC fans or he's a poor fit, it doesn't really matter.  When I see FotMob give him a 6, I think yeah that's right.  It's fine.  But "it's fine" in a TAM player sense, not in a DP one.

[Watchmen]

3 hours ago, PastPros said:

It's not that he's been poor... just not as dynamic as we have seen him before.

e.g. As poor as a team TFC is, he did often have good interplay with Bernardeschi.

Sam and Hoilett are not 100% match fit so hard to judge. Raposo has been much better than Sam so far.

Raposo picked it up briefly, but he's regressed.  Which is frequently his problem.  And he's settled in to having about one move: run down the side, stop, curl the ball in to the box, usually to no one because there's no one there or he's over hit it.  Rinse, repeat.

[VinceA]

Haven't Vancouver had issues with getting the best out of all of their FBs? Might be a Sartini problem.

[Ivan]

19 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

To be fair, this is pretty much it.  He seems fine.  As a Caps fan, I'd be fine with him returning next year.  Maybe he does gel with the rest of the team better.  But he's also clearly a downgrade on Gressel, who was both a better player AND a better fit.   And the talk at the time of the loan was the Whitecaps would be using a DP spot on Laryea for next year, and he's shown absolutely nothing that would indicate he should be a DP, be it because he was overhyped by TFC fans or he's a poor fit, it doesn't really matter.  When I see FotMob give him a 6, I think yeah that's right.  It's fine.  But "it's fine" in a TAM player sense, not in a DP one.

I'm not sure over-hyped by TFC fans is the correct expression either.  He was clearly TFC's best player this year, and arguably second best last year to pre-injury Osorio.  I did/do get to watch a fair amount of VWC games, and IMHO, I would have hands down taken Laryea over Gressel if given a choice between the two. 

Lately, I admittedly haven't watched VWC as much, but would agree Laryea hes been "fine" from what I've seen.  Nowhere near as dominant as he was for TFC however.    

[BearcatSA]

40 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

But he's also clearly a downgrade on Gressel, who was both a better player AND a better fit

He was used in a much more central role (not without preseason doubts, including from yours truly) and really ran with it as he surged to be the team's clear first half of the season MVP before departing.  Laryea is far more of a flank guy suited best on his off side (the left) where he can cut inside to his stronger right foot.

I am not sure of the stats but it seems like the offensive output from the incumbent central mids (excluding the destroyer minded Cubas) has dried up since Gressel has left that grouping. The stats geeks out there are free to correct me on my "eyeball test."  Schöpf provides zilch, Ahmed has either been injured or underused or both, while the others available are noncontributors.

I really don't see it as a like-for-like comparison between the two players.  It seemed more that the club wanted to upgrade on what Raposo and the others provided at the wingback spots, so Laryea and Adekugbe were brought in.

[Watchmen]

39 minutes ago, Ivan said:

I'm not sure over-hyped by TFC fans is the correct expression either.  He was clearly TFC's best player this year, and arguably second best last year to pre-injury Osorio.  I did/do get to watch a fair amount of VWC games, and IMHO, I would have hands down taken Laryea over Gressel if given a choice between the two. 

Lately, I admittedly haven't watched VWC as much, but would agree Laryea hes been "fine" from what I've seen.  Nowhere near as dominant as he was for TFC however.    

Oh, I don't doubt he was TFC's best player this year.  My contention was simply that TFC is crap this year, so "being the best player" on that team ended up overrating him. 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the TFC Laryea vs Whitecaps Gressel debate, because I'd have stuck with Gressel every time.

[Watchmen]

23 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

He was used in a much more central role (not without preseason doubts, including from yours truly) and really ran with it as he surged to be the team's clear first half of the season MVP before departing.  Laryea is far more of a flank guy suited best on his off side (the left) where he can cut inside to his stronger right foot.

I am not sure of the stats but it seems like the offensive output from the incumbent central mids (excluding the destroyer minded Cubas) has dried up since Gressel has left that grouping. The stats geeks out there are free to correct me on my "eyeball test."  Schöpf provides zilch, Ahmed has either been injured or underused or both, while the others available are noncontributors.

I really don't see it as a like-for-like comparison between the two players.  It seemed more that the club wanted to upgrade on what Raposo and the others provided at the wingback spots, so Laryea and Adekugbe were brought in.

There's definitely a debate to be had over his usage, and Vanni has certainly started to move him around a bit to try to get more out of him. But at the same time, if he doesn't fit then they shouldn't look to make him a DP next year. 

And to be clear here, I wanted this to work. I did think this was a good move by the team and was hoping it would work. It just doesn't seem to be.

[Obinna]

35 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Oh, I don't doubt he was TFC's best player this year.  My contention was simply that TFC is crap this year, so "being the best player" on that team ended up overrating him. 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the TFC Laryea vs Whitecaps Gressel debate, because I'd have stuck with Gressel every time.

Just curious, was Gressel a DP and if he were to have returned as a DP how would that have factored into your view? In reality I believe Laryea is a TAM level player, not a DP, but I believe the same for Gressel who doesn't strike me as a superior player. He does however strike me as being a better fit for Vancouver so I can understand your view there.

[BearcatSA]

31 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

There's definitely a debate to be had over his usage, and Vanni has certainly started to move him around a bit to try to get more out of him. But at the same time, if he doesn't fit then they shouldn't look to make him a DP next year. 

And to be clear here, I wanted this to work. I did think this was a good move by the team and was hoping it would work. It just doesn't seem to be.

The frustrating thing for me is that he didn't have to come in here needing to be THE MAN, so to say.  They already have him in Gauld, so he he needs to be another important key weapon, not the number one threat.  That's not clicking yet.

He wouldn't be a DP for me either.  For that matter, Schöpf isn't worth his cap hit for what he does.